Method of and apparatus for assembling shoe parts



P c. M. RICHARDSCN 1,756,433

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLING SHOE PARTS Filed April e, 1928 4Sheets-Sheet 1 JnUsn/ba [YEP/E5 EEC/ma i April 29, 1930. c. M.RICHARDSON METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLING SHOE PARTS Filed'April6, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 29, 1930 c. M. RICHARDSON 1,756,438

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLING SHOE PARTS Filed April 6, 1928 4Sheets-Sheet 3 26 J JET/277.7272? April 29, 1 930.

C. M. RICHARDSON METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLING SHOE PARTS FiledApril 6, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Apr. 29,1930

-CHARLES M.;RICHARDSON, OF AKRON, oHIo,.-assIGnoP.-.ro THE B. F.GOODBIIGH 'GOM- PANY, F I FEVJ YGEK,U1=T. L, A CGBPOEATIGII OF'NE'WIYORK METHOD OEAND APPARATUS FOR ASSEIEBLING SHOE PARTS Applieationfiled April 6, 1928.

This invention relates to methods and apparatus for assembling shoeparts, and especially the slide-fastener and adjacent 'parts ofslide-fastener overshoes.

A machine heretofore has been designed for receiving the pocket orbellows-tongue member in spread condition and then moving its'fastenerreceiving'margins into proximity to each other and supporting them insuitable 1Q spaced relation for the application of the slide-fastnerthereto. *In my improved method the liningofthe overshoe is assembledwith thepocketand the slide:tastener and my method is best'performed bythe aid 15 of the said machine, preferably with the 'additionot' certainmembers thereto.

My chief object is to provide'i orthe rapid and accurate assembling inadhesive contact three or'more' sheets of material such as the 20lining,'pocket and slide-fastenero'f an over-.

shoe.

' 9f theaccompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevation of apparatusembodying and 'adaptedto carry out my inven- 2 tion'initspreferred form,with theparts in initial work receiving positionandwith a part of thework therein.

Fig. 2'isa'plan'view of the same, at alater stage of operation.

Fig. 3 is a side 'elevationof the apparatus from the sameviewpoint'as-that'of Fig. "1 but showing a later stage or"- operation.

Fig. .dis'a'view of the apparatus'similar vtothatoiiliig. 3'but showinga still la'ter 5 stage of'operation. v

Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-'5 ofFig. 4;. Fig.- 6 is a plan view ofthefini-shed work and parts of the apparatus supporting the same, aportion of'the work beingbroken away. i

Fig. 7 iswa perspective view of the-finished work;

Referring to thedrawings the device comprises a table 10 upon which ismounted a wide bearing-bracket 11 for a shaft 12 mounted in the bracketand extending-in each direction therefrom. Hinged :upon the end portionsof the shaft 12 are a pair of swinging brackets 13, 14 each havingbearing mem.- bers mounted upon the shaft at each side of Serial "No.267,881.

the bracket 11 and each formed-with oblique extensions, 15, 16, whichoutwardly converge when the swinging brackets are in horizontalpositions, as shown in Fig. 2, and which constitute gravitywork-clamping members adapted to coact, to grip opposite'si'de marginsof a fabric blank 17, with a pair of workclamping members 18, 19 whicharehinged upon respective shafts '20, 21, secured by set screws 22, 23(Fig. 2), in suitable mountings formed upon the respective swingingbrackets 13, 14, the shafts 20 and 21pre'ferablybeing disposed insubstantially perpendicular'relation'to the shaft 12upon which theswinging brackets are mounted.

Each of the work-clamping members 1-8, 1'9 is-formed with a shortcontact arm, 24 or25, adapted-to be engaged bya plunger, 26-or 26,sli'clably projecting upward through-"the tableyl0, for holding themembers 18, '19 in elevated positions with relation to their hingeshafts 20, 21, asshown in Fig. 1,-to permit the fabric blank 17 tobe-mounted upon the lower work-engaging,-members 1 5, 16, and forloweringthe members-18,519-orito the blankto hold' the blankagainstthedower members 1'5, 16. i i

Each of the members 18,19is:preferably providedon its work-engagingface-withprojections 27, 27 n (Fig. 1) matingwith dimples 28, 28't'orm'ed inthe work-engaging faces of the members15,'16,'toprevent'slippage of the blank.

The construction as describedis'such that the two work-clampingassemblies" while clamping the margins of the blank 17 may be turnedupwardaboutthe shaft 12 to bring into close relationthe margins 29, -30of'the blank 17 'proj'ectingfrom the clamping members. as showniriFigQ8.i r

The members 18, 19 areformed' with rabbeted'outer or upper edges,whichprovide thereon narrow, work-engagingflanges-31, I

32 which define, when the clamping assembliesare broughttogether, asshownclearly in Figs. '5 and 6, a channel 38. adapted to"ac commodatethe jaw members 3t, 34lof a slide fastener assembly 35'Wl11l6'tl18stringer tapes 36, 86 of the .slide fasten'er are by hand presented'toand adhesively pressed against the the latter.

margins 29, 30 of'the fabric blank, which are For supporting the blank17 in flatly spread condition'when it is mounted upon the members'15,16, a work-supporting plate 39 of generally triangular shape ispositioned between the work-receiving positions of the members 15, 16,said plate being mounted upon posts 40, 40 rising from a plate 41secured to and in extension of one arm 42 of a lever 43 which isfulcrumed upon a shaft 44 mounted in a bracket 45 secured to the underside of the table 10, the lever having a rearwardly extending arm 46connected by a pull spring 47 with a post 48 projecting downward fromthe table, the spring 47 being adapted to urge the work-supporting plate39 upward toward v its work-supporting position, inwhich it isstoppedbycontact of the arm 42 with the lower face of the table 10.

For accurately positioning the blank 17, the plate 41 is provided with apair of gauges 49,

49, which are adjustably secured upon the plate by stud bolts 50, 50rising from the plate through slots 51, '51 formed in the base flangesof the respective gauges 49, the bolts being provided with wing nuts 52,52. r

In the particular operation for which the present embodiment oftheinvention is designed, the blank is of approximately trian gular form,and requires the attachment of thestringer tapes to its marginsthroughout zones extending almost to the apex of the triangle, andconsequently the outer ends of the work-clamping.members 15,16 extendintoclose proximity to each other, and are substantially in alignmentwith the shaft 12 about which the work-clamping assemblies are turned.For supporting them against the pressure with which the slidefastenerassembly is adhesively secured to the margins of the blank, a cam lever53 is fulcrumedupon a shaft 54 mounted in a pairof bracket-s such as thebracket 55,securedtotheundersideof the table 10 and the lever 53 isformed at its outer end with a cradle portion 57 adapted to engage theouter ends of the members 15, 16, and hold them against both downwardand lateral displacement when thework-clamping assemblies are turnedupward about the shaft 12 and the cam lever 53 is elevated.

For so turning the work-clamping assemblies, each of the swingingbrackets"13, 14

is connected by a link,58 or 59, with a slide 60,

which is slidably held, against the face of a bracket 61 extendingdownward from the table, by a pair of cap screws 62, 62 mounted in avertical slot 63 formed in the slide, and the slide is provided at itslower end with a cam face 64 adapted to beengaged by a cam roller 65journaled on the outer end of an arm 66 secured upon a shaft 67 which ismounted in the brackets 55.

Secured upon the shaft 67 is an arnij68 having lost motion connectionwith a link 69 pivoted at 70 to the arm l2 of the lever 43 raised, andpermitting the spring 47 to raise the work-supporting plate 39 when theworkclamping assemblies are lowered, the lost mofor lowering thework-supporting plate 39 I 7 when the work-clamping assemblies are tionof the link 69'permitting the clamping members 18, 19 to descend ontothe work'before the work-supporting plate 39 is lowered,

against the force of the spring 47, by the downward pull of thearm 68upon the link.

Also secured upon the shaft 67 is an arm 71 i provided onits outer endwith acam roller 7 2 adapted to coact with the lower face of an arm 7 3hinged upon ashaft'74 mountedin the brackets 55, the arm 73 being hingedat its outer end to the plungers 26, 26 for holdi ing the clampingmembers 18, 19 elevated, as in Fig. 1, while the members 15,16 descend Yto work-receiving position, andtolowerthe I members 18, 19 onto the workbefore the work-clamping assembhes are swung up-,

ward, lost motion being provided betweenthe cam roller 65 and the camface 64 of the slide 60, as shown in'Fig. 1, to permit the members 18,19 to engage the fabric blank before the slide 60 is moved upward.

For oscillating the shaft 67 an arm 75 is secured thereon and connectedby a link 76 with one arm of a bell-crank lever 77, which is fulcrumedupon a shaft 78 mounted in the brackets 55, the other arm of thebell-crank lever 77 being connected by alink 79 with one arm of a handlever 80 which isfulcrumed upon a stub shaft 81 secured in anextension82 formed upon the rear bracket corresponding to the bracket 55. Theparts are so proportioned that when the hand-lever 80 is in its forwardposition, as shown in Fig. 3, the arms 76 and 77 will act as a toggle,inover-- center position, to-hold the parts against re- 7 turn movement. rFor raising the cam lever 53 with its cradle '57, a cam roller 83 isjournaled on the end of 7 an arm 84, which is secured upon the shaft. 78, and an arm 85 secured upon the rear end of the shaft 78 is connectedby a. link 86 with one arm of a hand lever 87 which is fulcrumed uponthe stub shaft 81, the parts being so proportioned that when the handlearm of the hand lever 87 is pushed forward to raise the cam lever 53 asshown in Fig. 4, the cam roller 83 will be in such an over-centerposition with relation to the lever 53 and the shaft 78 as to preventreverse movement of the parts. To insure that the hand lever 87 will bereturned to its original position before the hand lever 80, to withdrawthe cradle 57 from the clamping members 15, '16 and permit the latterfreely to turn, a bracket 88secured to the hand lever 87 projectslaterally past the hand lever 80, so that the latter cannot be movedbackward so long as'the hand lever 87 is held in its forward position bythe contact of the lever 53 with the cam roller 83 in its over-centerrelation.

The structure so far described preceded my invention and, as to theapparatus, my invention comprises mounting a pin 100 upon each of theclamping members 15, 16 in position for anchoring thereon a shoe lining101 to be assembled with the pocket 17 and the slide-fastener 35.

In the operation of the device, the parts being in the positions inwhich they are shown in Fig. 1, the blank 17 is laid upon the plate 39and positioned between the gauges 49. V

The hand lever is then pushed forward, which causes the parts connectedtherewith as above described to move to the positions in which they areshown in Fig. 3, the plungers 26, 26 being lowered to permit the members18, 19 to descend onto and to grip the fabric blank before thework-supporting plate 39 is pulled downward and before the blankclampingstructures are swung upward. The arms 76-, 77, acting as a toggle, thenhold the connected parts in position as shown in Fig.

3. When the hand lever 80 is in its dotted line position of Fig. 1, inits forward movement, the parts of the machine are positioned as shownin Fig. 2. After the hand lever 80 has reached its foremost position,the parts then being positioned as in Fig. 3, the lining 101 is placedby hand in the position in which it is shown in Fig. i and is securedthere by anchoring it upon the pins and drawing it taut on the faces ofthe members 15, 16.

The hand lever 87 is then moved forward, which causes the roller 83 toengage the lever 53, and thus to elevate the cradle 57 into engagementwith the outer ends of the members 15, 16, as shown in Fig. 4, where itis held by the overcenter relation of the roller 83.

The blank margins 29, 30, are thus presented as shown in Fig. 3, andthey are then spread outwardly over the margins of the lining 101 andthe slide-fastener assembly 35 is adhesively pressed upon them as showning plate 39 before the work-clamping devices start their upwardmovement permits the middle portion of the fabric blank to be freelyfolded for bringing the margins of the blank into juxtaposition toeachother.

The operation may be very rapid and it results in a very accuratelyassembled product having its parts strongly secured together.

Various modifications'are possible within the scope of my invention asdefined in the appended claims.

I claim: 1. The method of assembling a rubberized fabric shoe tongueblank with a fastener and a lining which comprisesdeterminatelypositioning the blank in substantially fiat form,determinately moving opposite margins of the blank to bring them intojuxtaposition and parallel relation to each other and while it is soheld placing the lining about the blank, securing the margins of theblank to the margins of the lining, and securing a fastener to themargins of the blank.

2. The method of assembling three pieces of sheet material whichcomprises determinately positioning one of the pieces in substantiallyfiat form, determinately moving opposite margins of the piece to bringthem into juxtaposition and parallel, spaced-apart relation to eachother, and while it is so held placing a second piece of the materialabout the first piece in enveloping and margin-tomargin relationthereto, joining the margins of the first piece to the respectiveadjacent margins of the second piece, and j oiningmargins of a thirdpiece to the respective pairs of the margins so joined to connect thetwo pairs of margins.

3. Sheet-manipulating apparatus comprisin 3' means for supporting indeterminate po'-' sition and in substantially flat condition a piece ofthe sheet material, means for determinately moving opposite margins ofthe piece from such position into juxtaposition to each other and thereconstituting backing means for the margins with the margins lyingsubstantially in the same pane, and means for locally. anchoring anotherpiece of sheet material upon the said backing means.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 4th day of April,1928.

CHARLES M. RICHARDSON.

